Dispensing head for collapsible tubes and the like



v- Aug. 16, 1938. c, s, N I 2,127,040

DISPENSING HEAD FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13, 19372&5 24 Ma 7 Q4 .22 Q 2 7 I 5 139 V ZEV/G 43 E 7538 a: 29

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CHHRZ 5 STEWHRTMIINN ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING HEAD FORCOLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE Application September 13, 1937, SerialNo. 163,568

7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in dispensing heads for collapsibletubes and the like. The objects of the invention are to provide meanswhereby tooth paste or shaving cream and the like may be dispensed insuitable quantity from a collapsible tube and the orifice through whichthe paste is discharged shut oil in response to thumb pressure upon thehead; to provide means whereby the opening of the device for dispensingis accomplished by a turn of the head in one direction of 180 degrees orless, so that the tube can be held and the head manipulated by one handif desired. A further object is to provide a structure which willpreclude the entry of bacteria. A still further object of the inventionis to provide means whereby the extrusion of paste is automatically shutoil and the orifice is closed and hermetically sealed in response tothumb pressure.

The invention consists essentially of a sleeve adapted for attachment tothe nipple of a collapsible tube, a cap rotatable upon the sleeve andhaving a discharge orifice and a closure for the orifice which isadapted to be withdrawn from the orifice in response to a partial turnof the cap to permit the flow of paste material therethrough, as will bemore fully described in the following specification and shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the invention showing part in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a reduced scale plan view of the spiral slotted sleeve showingits connection to the main sleeve.

Fig. 3 is a reduced scale plan view looking up, of the vertical slotsleeve showing its connection to the cap.

Fig. 4 is a projected elevational View of the slotted sleeve opened outto show the shape of the plunger retracting slots.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the plunger.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

The numeral l indicates a collapsible tube of the usual type havingconical shoulders 2 and a. nipple 3 provided with the usual thread 4.Secured to the nipple 3 is an adapter 5 consisting of an internally andexternally threaded collar 6 provided at intervals of its periphery withapertures 'l which are in alignment with its internal thread. Extendingoutwardly from the base of the collar is a conical flange 8 which isadapted to cover the shoulders 2 of the tube 1. The adapter 5 is not anessential to the invention, but is a convenience inasmuch as withdiffere t,

sizes of tubes a dispensing head of one size may be used on tubes ofdifferent sizes.

Screwed onto the adapter 5, or alternately onto the nipple 3, is a baseor main sleeve 9 which is held against rotation by a grub screw ll)having a point which enters the metal of the nipple 3 after passingthrough one of the apertures "I in the adapter. The main sleeve isprovided with an internal flange II which is drawn down onto a packingwasher I2 carried upon the end of the nipple 3 and the adapter 5 toprevent extrusion of the paste. A groove I3 is formed on the outerperiphery of the main sleeve and is fitted with a packing 14, an annulargroove I5 is formed on the main sleeve, the purpose of which willhereinafter appear.

Fitted upon the upper extremity of the main sleeve 9 is a non-rotatablesleeve I6 having a plurality of spiral segmental slots l1 equidistantlyspaced about its wall. This sleeve will be hereinafter referred to asthe spiral slot sleeve. The slots [1 are each provided with an upper anda lower horizontal portion respectively numbered l8 and I9, the purposeof which will hereinafter appear. Projecting radially from the base ofthe spiral slot sleeve l6 are radial arms 26, see Figure 2, connectingwith a peripheral rim 2| which is recessed into the upper face of themain sleeve 9 and secured in position by pins 2 IA. Rotatably mountedwithin the spiral slot sleeve 16 is a vertical slot sleeve 22, so calledbecause it is provided with a single vertical slot 23 in its periphery.The slot 23 is of the same length as the vertical length of any of theslots l1 plus their horizontal portions I8 and IS. The sleeve 22 isprovided at its upper end with T-headed radial arms 24, the ends ofwhich are embedded in complementary recesses 25 formed in the wall of acap 26 and are preferably secured therein.

The cap 26 is provided with a central orifice 21 having tapered sidewalls substantially forming a valve seat 28 and is provided with aprojecting band 29 about its periphery which is preferably knurled toafford a grip for turning. The

cap is provided at its base with a skirt 33 which fits over the mainsleeve 9 and has at its lower extremity a bevelled tongue 3| which ridesin a groove 32 formed in the conical flange 8. The cap is rotatably heldin position by one or more grub screws 33 which pass through the skirt30 and enter the groove I5 of the main sleeve. An opening 34 is formedin the skirt 3!! to admit the grub screw ll] into its position and sothat this grub screw and the opening 34 may be easily brought intoregister. The skirt 3!] and the zontal portions I8 and I9. The diameterof the button 4| is equal to the Widthqof-any of the slots l1 and theslot 23 and is equal also to the vertical height of the portions l8 andi9. The upper end of the plunger 39 forms a closure 42 forthelvalve'seat 28 and when entered therein prevents ex trusion of the paste orintrusion 'of unwantedy matter, at the same time leaving the end of thea cap capable of being cleaned and dried. The spring 38 bears upwardlyaginst the plunger to force it upwards when the button 4| is releasedfrom the horizontal portion I9 of any of the slots l'l.

Mounted in the cap 26 is a push button generally indicated by thenumeral 43 which consists of a stem 44 having adjacent its inner end aconical stop 45 which prevents the outward movement of the stem beyond apredetermined point and spreads the paste in which it is operating toensure the return of the stem to its predetermined normal position andprevents the stem from pumping. A packing gland 48 surrounds the stem toprevent paste leakage therearound and is housed in a threaded bushing 41to facilitate removal of the push button assembly. The button 4| whenthe head is closed would be at the top of the vertical slot 23 and inthe upper horizontal portion I8 of one of the slots H. Toopen the headto dispense paste from the tube. the cap 26 is turned to the left onethird of a turn. As the cap with its connected vertical slot sleeve 22is turned, the button 4| will be drawn along the spiral slot ll of thenon-rotatable sleeve l6 down to the lower horizontal portion l9, thuswithdrawing the plunger and its valve closure 42 from the orifice Z'l.When the cap is turned-t its limit the button 4| will be in the lowerhorizontal portion 9 of its slot I! and will be directly opposite thepush button stem 44. When the button 4| is in a horizontal-portion l9the plunger 39 is retracted to the position shown in Figure 1 and theorifice 2? is open to permit paste to be dispensed. The plunger isincapable of movement in either direction when in full open or closedposition, because the'button 4| is then looked in one of the horizontalportions |8 or l9 of one of the slots |'I. When sufiicient paste hasbeen squeezed out of the tube I through the orifice 21, thumb pressureupon the button 43 will thrust the button 4| out of its horizontal slotportion l9 so that the plunger 39 will be thrust upwardly by the spring38 and close the orifice 21. On reaching the closed position thebutton4| will register withand enter the horizontal portion l8 of the nextadjacent slot l'l, thus looking the head securely and leaving the cap inposition to be again turned to retract the plunger. Obviously each thirdturn of the cap will retract the plunger and when the plunger has beenreturnedto closed position a very slight rotational movement of the capis required to again start the plunger downward.

It will be obvious that any number of spiral slots I! may be provided inthe slotted sleeve and "plunger and permit it to return to closedposition.

. 2. A dispensing head for collapsible tubes comprising a main sleeve, acap rotatable thereon, a

vertical slot sleeve inside the cap and rotatable therewith, astationary spiral slot sleeve surrounding the vertical slot sleeve, saidslot sleeves beingof smaller diameter than the main sleevetod'efinea'p-aste passage therearound, the vertical slot sleeve having avertical slot in its periphery, said spiral slot sleeve having aplurality-of spiral slots in its periphery, said cap having a dischargeorifice, a plunger slidable within the vertical slot sleeve and having aretractile button normally projecting through the vertical slot and intoone of the spiral slots of the spiral slot sleeve, means for urging theplunger upwardly to close the discharge orifice and means carried by thecap for releasing the button from its spiral slot and means for urgingthe button into the next successive spiral slot.

3. In a dispensing head for collapsible tubes, a main sleeve, a caprotatable about the sleeve, said cap having a discharge orifice and aspring pressed button, a plunger normally urged to -close the dischargeorifice, aspiral slot sleeve and a vertical slot sleeve rotatable withinthe last men- 'tioned sleeve, a plunger endwise movable within 'slot andone with a plurality of progressively arranged spiral slots, each ofsaid spiral slots having an upper and a lower horizontal portion, theupper portion of one slot and the lower portion of the next progressiveslot being one above the other, a plunger slidable concentrically withinthe sleeves adapted to normally close the orifice in the cap, springmeans for moving the plunger to close'th'e orifice, a member projectingtransversely from the plunger adapted to slide within the vertical slotand progressively in the spiral slots, said member being adapted toproject into a horizontal upper portion of a spiral slot when theplunger is in orifice closing position and to move into a horizontallower portion when the plunger is fully withdrawn, and means rotatablewith the cap for displacing the member from its spiral slot.

5. Adispensing head for collapsible tubes comprising a sleeve and a caprotatable upon the sleeve, said cap having a discharge opening, aplunger movable endwise of the sleeve and the cap adapted to beretracted inwardly from the orifice in response to turning the cap aboutthe sleeve, a spring pressed button for releasing the having a mainsleeve, a cap rotatable upon the sleeve provided with a dischargeorifice, a plunger endwise movable within the cap to close the orifice,a projecting member upon the plunger and a pair of slotted sleevescooperating with the projecting member as the cap is rotated to withdrawthe plunger inwardly from the orifice, one of said slotted sleeves beingconnected with the cap to rotate therewith and the second of saidslotted sleeves being held against rotation and a 10 spring for urgingthe plunger to close the orifice.

CHARLES STEWART MANN.

